Wireless communication may be used as a means of accessing a network. Wireless communication has certain advantages over wired communications for accessing a network. One of those advantages is a lower cost of infrastructure to provide access to many separate locations or addresses compared to wired communications. This is the so-called “last mile” problem. Another advantage is mobility. Wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, are not tied by wires to a fixed location. To use wireless communication to access a network, a customer needs to have at least one transceiver in active communication with another transceiver that is connected to the network.
To facilitate wireless communications, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has promulgated a number of wireless standards. These include the 802.11 (WiFi) standards and the 802.16 (WiMAX) standards. Likewise, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has promulgated standards to facilitate wireless communications. This includes TIA-856, which is also known as Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO). The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has also promulgated a standard known as long term evolution (LTE). Additional standards such as the fourth generation communication system (4 G) are also being pursued. These standards pursue the aim of providing a comprehensive IP solution where voice, data, and streamed multimedia can be given to users on an “anytime, anywhere” basis. These standards also aim to provide higher data rates than previous generations. All of these standards may include specifications for various aspects of wireless communication with a network. These aspects include processes for registering on the network, carrier modulation, frequency bands of operation, and message formats.
A limiting aspect for system performance in wireless networks is inter-cell interference. This is particularly a problem for wireless devices that are near the edge of a cell and in an area that another cell's transmission can reach. Reducing inter-cell interference is particularly important in communication networks that have a frequency reuse factor of one.
Overview
In an embodiment, a method of operating a communication system includes serving a first wireless device with a first access node using a frequency band and serving a second wireless device in an adjacent cell with a second access node using the same frequency band. The communication of a first resource block is scheduled between the first wireless device and the first access node. The communication of a second resource block between the second wireless device and the second access node is also scheduled. The scheduling of the first resource block and the second resource block correspond in time and frequency. The first resource block is encoded with a first orthogonal code from a family of orthogonal codes. The second resource block is encoded with a second orthogonal code from the family of orthogonal codes. After encoding, the first resource block and the second resource blocks are transmitted using the frequency band.
In an embodiment, a method of operating a wireless device includes establishing a communication session with a first access node using a frequency band. The communication session is associated with a first orthogonal code from a family of orthogonal codes. A first schedule to communicate a first resource block between a first wireless device and the first access node is received. An encoded first resource block from the first access node is received using the frequency band. The encoded first resource block is decoded with the first orthogonal code.
In an embodiment, a wireless communication system includes a first access node configured to serve a first wireless device using a frequency band and a second access node configured to serve a second wireless device using the frequency band. The first access node and the second access node have overlapping coverage areas. The communication system includes a resource scheduler configured to schedule a first communication of a first resource block between the first wireless device and the first access node and a second communication of a second resource block between the second wireless device and the second access node. The resource scheduler schedules the first resource block and the second resource block to be transmitted overlapping in time and frequency. The communication system includes a first encoder configured to encode a first resource block into a first encoded resource block by applying a first orthogonal code from a family of orthogonal codes to the first resource block. The communication system includes a second encoder configured to encode a second resource block into a second encoded resource block by applying a second orthogonal code from the family of orthogonal codes to the second resource block. The first access node includes a first transmitter to send the first encoded resource block using the frequency band. The second access node includes a second transmitter to send the second encoded resource block using the frequency band.